Southern Illinois University School of Medicine | Southern Illinois University Special Collections Research Center

The Board of Trustees approved the establishment of the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine on April 19, 1960. The School developed in response to a need for education in the health fields and for improvements in the health care delivery system in central and southern Illinois. The School was to provide education, research, and public service in the field of medicine and public health. Producing practitioners of community health was emphasized, as well as affiliation with existing clinical facilities. The School of Medicine was also to conduct continuing education programs with physicians and other paramedical professionals.

On June 15, 1973 the School of Medicine received its charter class of first-year medical students. The first year of the three-year program is based on the Carbondale campus and has a predominately sciences-oriented curriculum. Limited clinical experiences occur in area hospitals and physicians offices. Second and third year studies emphasizing clinical medicine are conducted in the medical school building in Springfield, Illinois and use existing clinical facilities.

In 1975 the School of Medicine received full accreditation and graduated its charter class of twenty four students. As of 2007 the School has graduated 2,130 new physicians under the leadership of three deans; Richard H. Moy, Carl J. Getto, and J. Kevin Dorsey and has clinical facilities located in Carbondale, Belleville, Decatur, and Quincy.